The game is just filled with these inside references everywhere you look. On loading screens, you’ll find tips from Uncle Sensei, complaining about laggy monitors and talking about how Smash Bros. is not a competitive game. In the story mode, you’ll encounter rival battles that poke fun at some of the most well known fighting-game players on the pro circuit. If you win four rounds in a row, the game will blare the Fraud Detection Warning, a slam on Skullgirls’ infinite detection system and on the infamous “Mike Ross is a fraud” meme that circulated the fighting-game community. The game, in its arcade mode and ending sequences, even has throwback references to old-school Street Fighter titles such as Alpha.

Divekick also has an online mode with fully implemented GGPO. Perhaps it is just because of the simplicity of the game, but Divekick’s online may be the single greatest implementation of fighting-game netcode we have ever seen. The game is virtually lag free and responds instantaneously. Rollbacks are few and far between and rarely ever cost you a match. It’s almost as if every online match is exactly the same as playing offline. This will keep you busy for hours as you climb the ranked leaderboards or simply search for frauds in casual matches.

Divekick has won several best-in-show awards at conventions like PAX East and E3. It has been praised by several critics and gamers alike. It has captured everything we love about fighting games in a mere two buttons. Simply put, it’s genius. This is no joke. If you have ever enjoyed fighting games, then you owe it to yourself to get Divekick on the PS3, PC, or Vita.

ByAngelo M. D’Argenio
Contributing Writer
Date: August 21, 2013

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

2.8

GraphicsUnfortunately, the game is lacking in the graphics department, with few frames of animation and sparse stages.

4.1

ControlThe two-button control scheme is genius but is frustrating in menus.